Bat Tracking Explained: Bat Speed, Squared-Up Rate and Blasts
For years hitters were judged by what the ball did: exit velocity and launch angle. In May 2024 MLB began publishing what the bat does. Statcast's bat-tracking release added six measures: bat speed, fast-swing rate, squared-up rate, blasts, swing length and swords. They are worth understanding even if you never play in a big league park, because they describe the two jobs every hitter has.
The speed side
Bat speed is how fast the barrel is moving at contact. Fast-swing rate is how often a hitter swings at 75 mph or more. Speed is the raw material for power.
The contact side
Squared-up rate asks how much of the available exit velocity a swing produced. Bat speed and pitch speed set a maximum. A swing counts as squared up when it gets at least 80% of that maximum. It is a measure of how well you found the barrel.
Both together
A blast is a swing that is squared up and fast at once. It is the bat-tracking cousin of the barrel.
Swing length
Swing length is the distance the barrel travels from the start of the swing to contact. MLB's explainer put the average at 7.3 feet. Longer swings tend to carry more speed. Shorter swings tend to make more contact. Neither is correct on its own.
What analysts found
Early analysis was cautious. FanGraphs noted that neither raw swing speed nor squared-up rate alone does a great job of predicting overall production. Fast swingers who miss and contact hitters with no speed both have limits. The hitters who do damage have enough of each.
What to take from it
- Train both. A bat speed program with no attention to contact quality raises one number and can lower the other.
- Measure. A bat sensor gives bat speed. A radar or hitting monitor gives exit velocity. Together they tell you whether you are squaring the ball up.
- Know your type. A fast swinger who mishits needs contact work. A hitter who squares everything up softly needs speed and strength.
- Do not copy big league numbers. The thresholds are set for major leaguers. Track your own trend.
The useful idea is simple. Power is speed multiplied by how well you hit it, and both can be trained.
This article is general information, not medical advice. See a doctor or physical therapist about pain or injury, and check with a qualified professional before starting a new training program.